Rehabilitation And Signaling Project Of Karabük-Zonguldak Railway Line is Complete

Karabük-Zonguldak railway line is opened with the participation of Mr. Binali Yıldırım, Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communication on 27.04.2016. The governors of Karabük and Zonguldak, members of parliament, mayors, local officials and our public participated in the ceremonies organized in Karabük and Zonguldak.

In the ceremony, Mr. Binali Yıldırım, Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communication, stated that the European Union (EU) has provided about 550 million Turkish Liras support for the Rehabilitation and Signaling Project of Irmak-Karabük-Zonguldak Railway Line.

The Minister indicated that they came to Karabük, where he called as “land of fertility”, for a good work in the opening ceremony of Karabük-Zonguldak section of the Project. Mr. Yıldırım wished the railway line to be beneficial for the country after stating that the Karabük-Zonguldak railway line has been rehabilitated and re-commissioned.

After saying that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said to him “This condition of the railways is not suitable for Turkey, we should renew it” when Binali Yıldırım was appointed to his position, he pointed that the 85 percent of all lines has been renewed.

Yıldırım has indicated that the EU has provided about 550 million Turkish Liras support for the subject Project and said “We realized one of the most concrete and meaningful projects of Turkey; who takes firm steps forward to EU full membership; between Karabük and Zonguldak; which are the capital of iron and steel. I want to thank you to EU and Delegation of the European Commission to Turkey for that”.

Undersecretary of EU and Delegation of the European Commission to Turkey Mr. François Begeot said that there has been a strategic cooperation between Turkey and EU for the development of the railway infrastructure and that the purpose of this investment is to enable the freight transportation from Turkey to Europe.

Director General of Turkish State Railways Mr. İsa Apaydın mentioned that the day is a historic day for the history of the country and that the 85 percent of the cost of Project; which is approximately 700 million Turkish Liras; started in 2012 is covered by the funds of European Union. He wished the rehabilitation of that important line to be beneficial.

After his speech, the Minister Mr. Yıldırım gave start to the first train on the line.

Minister Mr. Yıldırım and accompanying committee went to Zonguldak with a private train.

Mr. Yıldırım saluted the citizens in Filyos town, listened to their issues and requests. While he was addressing the citizens in Zonguldak Gar, Mr. Yıldırım said: [quote font_size=”20″]“We moved mountains like Ferhat to meet our society. We divided the roads, unified the lives, hearts and nation. Our Word to say the separatists is that we divide roads but never let you to divide our motherland. We divide our bread, but never let you to divide our country. We never let you to lower our star and crescent from the sky. It should be known like that by everybody. We make life unbearable for those until this terror evilness is died out from the country’s agenda. Everybody should be sure about that. This nation should remember that we will pay off the ones who advise them from inside and outside”.[/quote]

Mr. Yıldırım said [quote font_size=”20″]”I wish the Filyos Harbour Project to be beneficial. Thousands of our citizens in this region will be employed by this Project. With this Project, Zonguldak – Karabük will contribute more to the national economy. This region will be liven up, the ships will arrive, freights will be unloaded and the mobility will be increased. There is a railway line going to Karabük from Zonguldak and to Irmak from there. It was constructed in 1930’s. At that time, after the proclamation of the Republic, Great Atatürk has started mobilization on the railway. They constructed these roads as if scraping by their nails with the scarce facilities of that time. May Allah bless them, but the railways have been left to their fate since then. When we took up our positions in 2002, our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave instructions to us and said: ”The railways mean development and welfare. Therefore, we should re-instigate the railways. The railways should carry the weight of the nation. The nation should not carry the weight of the railways”. We received this instruction. Today, we re-built the 85 percent of the 11 thousand kilometres railway awaiting from the first years of the Republic. We increased the number of the signalled lines to 37 percent. We raised the number of electric lines from 20 percent to 31 percent. These works are still under construction”.[/quote]

We go from Ankara to İstanbul, Eskişehir, Konya and now Sivas and İzmir with high-speed trains. Our objective is to connect 14 big cities including Ankara to each other through high speed train in 2023, the 100th anniversary of our Republic and to actualize the prosperity and welfare way; which is the testament of Atatürk for the railways. Turkey has become the sixth biggest country having the high speed railway operation. Turkey is the ninth in world’s aviation and second in Europe. It is the fifth in communication industry. It is the situation that suits our country”.

Mr. Yıldırım has stated that Turkey doesn’t have any enmities towards anybody and said: “We are making a good Project together with EU. It is not the only Project of us. We have three more of such projects. We received a very important contribution while realizing this Project with EU. 700 trillion Turkish Liras have been spent on this Project. I wish it to be the best. We are realizing what our public need without wasting time. May Allah make our unity, solidarity, fraternity and peace be everlasting. As long as we keep our unity and solidarity strong, we knock the bottom out of the plans of the ones who have malevolent plans on our country. Therefore, forever unity and solidarity”.

Undersecretary of EU and Delegation of the European Commission to Turkey Mr. François Begeot stated that they stopped by the stations along the railway route and sympathized the joy of public and added: “There has been a strategic cooperation between Turkey and EU for developing the railway infrastructure”.

After the completion of the speeches, the Minister Mr. Yıldırım and the members of protocol cut the ribbon and realized the opening of Zonguldak section of Irmak-Karabük-Zonguldak Railway Line Rehabilitation and Signalling Project.

Afterwards, the Minister Mr. Yıldırım gave start to the train waiting ready on the line.